


Hearts United

by mothercetrion



Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games), Mortal Kombat - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2020-03-27 15:11:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19015429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mothercetrion/pseuds/mothercetrion
Summary: Hanzo Hasashi wants to get married again.





	Hearts United

He never thought it possible after the death of his first true love.

Hanzo Hasashi was a man in love—a man in love with Kuai Liang, to be exact.

The two men had been officially dating for about eight months, give or take a few days. Without doubt, they had been the greatest eight months that Hanzo had lived in over twenty-five years.

Every moment with Kuai Liang was like magic. Hanzo found himself smiling at every opportunity when they were together. He planned to see him as frequently as possible because seeing him was the highlight of his days. Holding the man’s cold hand made his heart flutter. Laying in bed with him after long days was more relaxing than anything in the world. Kissing the man made him happier than he ever could have dreamed.

It hit him one night as he watched Kuai Liang sleep next to him. The younger man had been sleeping with his hand in Hanzo’s, and a content smile was on his face. Hanzo traced his fingers along his arm and found himself smiling like a fool.

And then it dawned on him.

Hanzo wanted to propose to Kuai Liang.

He never thought that he would want to take that step with someone ever again. Harumi was the first woman, the only woman, that Hanzo ever loved. She was everything to him, and then she was taken away. He never believed that he would find someone to fill that hole in his heart.

Kuai Liang filled the hole, and then he stuck more in and made Hanzo’s heart bigger. He was able to see more good than bad in the world. He had a more positive outlook on life. He allowed more people into his life and had more friends and companions than ever, all because of Kuai Liang. He had to thank him somehow.

In addition, spending the rest of his life with the younger man sounded right.

With their eight-month anniversary soon approaching, he wanted to make the most of the occasion. They had already planned tea at the Fire Garden; it was such a stunning place for any occasion, so an evening of relaxing there and drinking tea sounded appealing to both of them. He could do it then. Tea, proposal. Maybe some more mixed in there. He wasn’t sure yet.

He knew he needed a ring, and the only person he knew that could help him was none other than Johnny Cage. He managed to get the man alone during a visit to the Special Forces base. The moment that his thought passed his lips, Johnny was on board. He said he would help in getting a ring, and he would help keep Kuai Liang off of his trail; the man was smart, Johnny claimed, and he would be able to tell if something was off or was being planned.

With his help, Hanzo planned everything down to the finest and tiniest detail. He found some musicians to play traditional instruments in the garden to make the area even more appealing. He planned a walk to a center area that was rounded out and surrounded in trees, the most romantic spot of the garden. He would propose in that spot, and Kuai Liang would accept. Hopefully. Johnny was convinced that he would; Hanzo forced himself to believe him.

He dressed in his nicest button up shirt. He actually wore his hair down, took the time to make himself look presentable and good and… special. Because Kuai Liang deserved a special evening, a special proposal, because  _ he _ was special.

Kuai Liang arrived in the afternoon. He too was dressed nice, in a pair of jeans and a blue shirt that made his muscles look even bigger than usual. He had trimmed his beard some and looked more handsome than ever. Hanzo saw him from the temple’s front steps and felt his heart race in his chest. He was always so handsome, so distinguished in his appearance and his walk. Hanzo found himself luckier and luckier every day.

“My dearest,” Kuai Liang greeted, opening his arms for a hug with a smile. 

“Kuai Liang, my love.” Hanzo met him at the bottom of the steps and accepted his hug, and he pulled away quickly and pressed a kiss to his lips. He placed his hands on his cheeks and rubbed his thumbs along the edges of his beard. “You clean up nice. Very nice, actually.”

Kuai Liang chuckled. “Anything for you, my dearest.” He ran his own hand over his beard. “It needed a trim anyways. This evening is just a good excuse.”

Hanzo smiled and kissed him once again. “Come, come. I have a special evening for us planned to celebrate the last eight months.”

“I’m excited.”

The two walked hand-in-hand through the temple, where the Lin Kuei Grandmaster was silently greeted by members of the Shirai Ryu with bows. All of them knew of Hanzo’s plan to propose. Their permission to marry someone into his clan was just as important as asking Kuai Liang. Of course, they were very approving; they all greatly liked Kuai Liang and knew he made Hanzo very happy. He would honor the clan well.

They reached the back of the temple and stepped outside, and right on cue, just like they had practiced that morning, the musicians chimed in with their instruments. The sound of traditional music filled the air, adding to the atmosphere and making the area wildly more peaceful. A table sat in the Garden, with two cups and a pot and a vase of red orchids.

Hanzo did his research. Orchids represented love. Red looked good in the garden.

“Oh, Hanzo…” Kuai Liang looked at the setup in delight, his smile growing. “It’s beautiful. All of it, it’s… it’s wonderful. The tea, the music, the flowers— oh, the flowers are lovely. Orchids are my favorite.” He turned to Hanzo then and held his face in his hands, pressing a kiss to his nose in delight. “Thank you.”

“Anything for you, my love.” Hanzo took one of his hands and led him to the table, and they sat next to one another. Before Kuai Liang could prepare his cup, Hanzo held up a hand and stopped him. “Allow me.”

Kuai Liang admired the scenery as Hanzo prepared his tea. He hoped that his shaking hands went unnoticed. He knew the man’s tea preference by heart, but he knew that proposing was very soon. He had rehearsed his proposal countless times in his head; he didn’t dare say it out loud. It felt unlucky to do so, even though he knew that was not true at all.

He wanted everything to go perfectly.

He finished Kuai Liang’s tea and passed it to his waiting hands, and he went to work on his own tea as Kuai Liang spoke. “The fact that it has been eight months since we decided to begin dating still baffles me. It has flown by in my eyes.”

“As in mine.” Hanzo found himself smiling as he finished his preparations. “I have found myself more baffled as to how I was to be so… so lucky.” He looked up and met Kuai Liang’s calm gaze. “I am the happiest I have ever been, thanks to you.”

“Oh, my dearest…” Kuai Liang smiled and grabbed one of Hanzo’s hands. “I am pleased to know that I have done that for you.”

“I love you.”

“And I love you.”

The two shared a tender kiss, their hands interlocked and their cheeks red with fluster and love. Once pulled away, they began to chat about their lives, new experiences they had recently had and new people they had met. They discussed Johnny, how they had both hung out with him recently upon his request; they were grateful to have a friend like him to pull them out of their comfort zones and help them relax. They discussed new pupils, the recent engagement of Jacqui and Takeda and Hanzo’s worries over an upcoming wedding for them that Takeda  _ insisted _ be at the Shirai Ryu temple. They shared many laughs and a few more sweet kisses.

Soon enough, Hanzo suggested a walk. The ring was in his back pocket. It was time.

Kuai Liang happily agreed, and the two rose to their feet and began to walk through the garden. The wind began to blow softly through the trees, and leaves began to fall around them, drifting past their feet along the dirt path. Hanzo’s hair occasionally flew in his face, and Kuai Liang brushed it out of his eyes with a small laugh and a smile. Hanzo found himself blushing every time the man touched his face.

The music became faint background noise as they approached the center of the garden. The path rounded itself out and was completely surrounded by trees. The temple was completely obscured from sight by the autumn-colored leaves. It was the most private area of the garden—the perfect place for a proposal.

“Wow…” Kuai Liang looked around the area by spinning himself in a circle, his expression turning surprised. “Your garden is amazing.”

“As are you,” Hanzo replied.

Kuai Liang turned to him quickly, and his cheeks turned a faint pink from a blush. “You are getting more confident. I like it.”

“I am.” Hanzo smiled and grabbed both of Kuai Liang’s hands, squeezing his fingers. “You have made me a more confident man, my love.”

“Have I?”

“Yes.” Hanzo glanced down at his feet, his heart beating in his ears. “Kuai Liang, I must say something. It is—”

Kuai Liang lifted a hand and pressed a finger to Hanzo’s lips, silencing him instantly. “I must say something too. May I go first?”

Hanzo nodded immediately. In his eyes, it gave him more time to think of what he wanted to say.

Kuai Liang lowered his hand and grabbed Hanzo’s hand once again. “Words will never be able to describe how much you have changed me as a person. But… I can try to summarize.”

He took in a deep breath and squeezed his hands gently. “I never imagined that I would be able to get to know you as I have. Gaining the courage to get to know you has been the best thing I have ever done, no doubt in my mind. I had my doubts, of course, but… I moved on from my brother’s death as best I could. I had to take new steps in my life, including trying new things and making amends with the people I had made my enemies… and that started with you.”

Kuai Liang smiled. “We had a rough start, of course. But then we sanded out our rough edges and gave things a chance, and… life has been so wonderful, so blissful.” He held their hands closer to their heads, stepping an inch closer. “Our friendship was already wonderful. It took no time at all for me to feel like I could tell you anything in the world. It took me no time at all to realize that I felt stronger about you, but… it took five years to get the courage to ask you out. I have not regretted it a single moment. You are my everything. I want to spend the rest of my life making you as happy as I have been.”

He took in a deep breath and released one of Hanzo’s hands. “I pray that I do not regret this courage.”

Kuai Liang got down on one knee. Hanzo felt his heart stop as he pulled a box out of his back pocket and opened it, revealing a ring. He held it up to Hanzo with a hopeful smile.

“Hanzo Hasashi, will you—”

“Kuai Liang…”

Hanzo could hardly contain himself. Tears of absolute joy filled his eyes, and he felt his free hand begin to shake. “Kuai Liang, I—” He stopped and held out a hand to him. “This isn’t a rejection! Don’t think it’s a rejection!” he said hurriedly.

Kuai Liang tilted his head in confusion. “Then… then what is this?”

“It’s a…” Hanzo stopped and shook his head with a nervous chuckle. “It’s a double proposal.”

“What?”

Hanzo removed his own ring box from his back pocket. He got down on one knee, continuing to hold Kuai Liang’s hand, and popped open the box. “It’s a double proposal.”

Kuai Liang did not try to hide his surprise, gasping quietly. “By the gods… Hanzo, I—”

Hanzo put his ring-bearing hand over Kuai Liang’s lips, silencing him. “It is my turn, my love,” he said shakily.

He took in a deep breath and lowered his hand. “I never dreamed of finding love a second time. I held onto my past so tightly that I could not think of anything involving my future. My heart was empty, my heart had holes that I believed would never be filled…” Tears fell from his eyes when he blinked, and he did not attempt to wipe them away. “And you filled them. You filled them so heavily that my heart grew.”

Kuai Liang’s own eyes filled with tears as Hanzo continued. “You make me so indescribably happy, Kuai Liang. I never believed I could be this happy in my life. Every moment with you is… perfect. I am a changed man with a new outlook on life, a new optimism that I never would’ve received if it was not for your endless kindness and patience.”

Hanzo smiled as more tears fell. “You are the greatest gift I have ever been given by the universe. You are… You are the greatest man I have ever met, and I pray—” He stopped, sniffling. “I pray that you are only half as happy with me as I am with you. I desire more than anything to make you that happy because it is what you deserve.”

Kuai Liang’s eyes finally released his tears, and he shook his head with a shaky smile. “Oh, Hanzo… I don’t know what to say.”

Hanzo nodded. “I do. At the same time, my love?”

“Of course, my dearest.”

There was a brief pause as the men composed himself, and they moved their own rings towards one another as they did before.

“Hanzo Hasashi?”

“Kuai Liang?”

In the same instant, “Will you marry me?”

In a flash, without hesitation, “Yes,” from two men in love.

Both men immediately went to kiss one another. More passion and love than any previous kiss, they kissed deeply for several seconds before pulling away and hugging one another. Kuai Liang sniffled and began crying softly into Hanzo’s shoulder, and Hanzo could not help but do the same.

Neither had felt such joy in all of their lives. It was simply not containable.

Hanzo pulled away first and removed the ring from his box. Kuai Liang held up a shaky hand and allowed Hanzo to put it on him, smiling at him once it was on. He followed suit, putting his ring on Hanzo’s finger, and they showed off their rings to one another with excited giggles and big smiles.

It was an evening—and a feeling—that would never be forgotten.


End file.
